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Camping has a different meaning here
A Somali boy stands next to a structure of makeshift tent at Tawakal IDP camp in Mogadishu.
Image:
Mohamed Abdiwahab / AFP

Six things about SA you need to know

HRC: Malema comment was racist

The South African Human Rights Commission confirmed receipt of a complaint from the DA about remarks EFF leader Julius Malema made at Youth Day rally‚ which the party said were racist. Commission spokeswoman Gail Smith confirmed they had received the complaint and would investigate it if they found prima facie evidence. Malema said at the rally at the Matlosana Stadium in Klerksdorp‚ North West‚ on Saturday that the majority of Indians “hate Africans”, were “racist”, and that the “same thing applies to some of the coloured brothers”. Regarding their complaint to the commission‚ DA Youth federal leader Luyolo Mphithi said: “No South African should ever have to face the humiliation of such an assault on their dignity, and it is now becoming evident that the EFF is not ready to govern a diverse society such as South Africa.”

Grant Thornton CEO quits before sex pest probe

Grant Thornton Johannesburg CEO Paul Badrick has voluntarily stepped aside pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him. The allegation was made during an investigation by Grant Thornton International Limited (GTIL) following a former director’s claims of sexual harassment against a former Head of Forensics earlier this year, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The alleged sexual harassment happened in 2015. The company added that the allegations would be investigated “as quickly as possible”. Earlier this year the firm cut ties with a former director accused of making sexual advances towards a female employee‚ who alleged he had also touched her inappropriately in the workplace.

Farming minister again axes his director-general

Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana has effectively axed the director-general in his department‚ Mike Mlengana - the latest salvo in a war over alleged corruption. Mlengana has been stripped of “all delegations of authority”‚ according to an official internal memo circulated on Monday. Mlengana confirmed the move on Tuesday‚ claiming he had been “effectively suspended”. The move follows Mlengana’s suspension of deputy director-general Siphokazi Ndudane‚ head of fisheries‚ due to a row that has spilled into the public domain. The two have fallen out over several issues‚ most notably a controversial three-ton abalone deal worth R45-million. Both accuse each other of mismanagement and wrongdoing. Zokwana was opposed to Ndudane’s suspension and last week ordered Mlengana to reverse the decision – which he failed to do. Zokwana's latest memo is seen as retaliation.

Durban men get 7 years for xenophobic violence

Five men‚ who were part of an 800-strong mob who burned tyres‚ looted shops and pelted the police with stones and rocks during a violent xenophobic attack in KwaMashu in 2015‚ have been sentenced to seven years behind bars. This is believed to be one of the toughest sentences for public violence. Bongani Luthuli‚ 36‚ Siyabonga Thusi‚ 33‚ Sikhumbuzo Sibiya‚ 24‚ Sakhile Mzobe‚ 35‚ and Sanele Nkwanyana‚ 47‚ pleaded not guilty to the charge in the Ntuzuma Regional Court. They claimed they were just “walking by” when they were arrested. But magistrate Anand Maharaj said this could not possibly be true. He said “the time had come” for courts to say that demonstrating in a way that harmed other people was no longer going to be tolerated. He refused to grant leave to appeal against the sentences.

Fewer foreign tourists visit SA

Overseas tourists visiting South Africa numbered 194‚017 in April 2018‚ a drop of 12.6% from 222‚055 in April 2017. This is according to Statistics South Africa’s Tourism and Migration report released this week. Overall‚ the number of tourists decreased from 919‚084 in April 2017‚ including overseas tourists as well as tourists from the Southern African Development Community‚ whose number dipped to 657‚020 in April 2018. Most foreign tourists were from the traditional markets: Europe (113‚734); North America (33‚332) and Asia (24‚444). Others include Australasia (11‚136; 5.7%); Central and South America (8‚362; 4.3%) and the Middle East (3‚009; 1.6%). The number of tourists from three of the 10 leading countries (Brazil‚ China and Canada) increased‚ but there was a decrease in tourists from Germany‚ the UK‚ India‚ the Netherlands‚ Australia‚ France and the US.

Man in dock over R180m electricity meter 'fiddle'

A man who masqueraded as an Eskom employee installing devices to “reduce electricity consumption” appeared in court on Tuesday for allegedly defrauding a municipality out millions of rand. The man offered his services in the Eastern Cape but instead of installing a device‚ allegedly tampered with existing electricity meters. Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwane Mulaudzi said this tampering meant that the municipality “lost approximately R180-million”. The 53-year-old man was arrested after an investigation spanning two years by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Unit. He appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. He remains in custody and will be back in the dock on June 29.

American smokers are the new dying breed

Just 13.9% of the US population smokes cigarettes, according to a US government report which said the American smoking rate has reached ‘the lowest level ever recorded.’ The findings refer to adult cigarette smokers in 2017. A previous report using 2016 data found that 15.5% of adults smoked. A half century ago, more than 40% of adults smoked in the United States. Decades of health warnings have boosted public awareness that the addictive habit can cause lung and many other cancers, resulting in a declining number of smokers, experts say. – AFP

Aussie users fine Apple millions

Apple was fined Aus$9-million (over R91-million) by an Australian court for making false claims about consumer rights when refusing to fix faulty iPhones and iPads previously repaired by a third party. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took Apple to the Federal Court last year over allegedly false or misleading representations to customers with faulty iPhones and iPads about their rights under the law. Apple said Tuesday that it had ‘very productive conversations with the ACCC’ over the issue and vowed to offer its Australian users ‘excellent service’. - AFP

Japan airlines stir the Taiwan pot

Japan’s two largest airlines have changed ‘Taiwan’ to ‘China Taiwan’ on their Chinese-language websites, sparking an immediate protest from the self-ruled island. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has demanded that dozens of international airlines make such a change despite US protests at what it called ‘Orwellian nonsense’. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways said their alteration was made on June 12 and was meant to accommodate customers. The description remains ‘Taiwan’ on their websites in Japanese and other languages. - AFP

Thailand goes ahead with execution

Thailand has carried out its first execution since 2009, the government said, putting a 26-year-old convicted murderer to death by lethal injection in a move condemned by Amnesty International as ‘deplorable’. Theerasak Longji was executed on Monday, six years after his conviction.
His death came as Thailand’s coup leader-turned-premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha prepares to travel to Britain and France on a highly-publicised official visit. But the trip will now likely see the former army chief face awkward questions over the use of the death penalty as well as Thailand’s wider human rights record since he seized power in a 2014 coup. - AFP